Salem police officer pleads guilty to bribery charge

From the U.S. Department of Justice: A police officer employed by the City of Salem, Virginia, and assigned to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force pleaded guilty today for soliciting and receiving sexual favors from a cooperating defendant in exchange for agreeing to recommend a favorable sentence to a federal prosecutor on the defendant’s behalf. Kevin C. Moore, 42, of Roanoke, Virginia, was a Salem Police Department officer and was assigned to the DEA task force in Roanoke, Virginia. According to his plea agreement and accompanying statement of facts, between June and September 2014, Moore informed a female cooperating defendant that he was in a position to help her with her pending federal methamphetamine trafficking case. In August 2014, for example, in a series of text messages with the cooperating defendant, Moore made clear that he could recommend a favorable sentence to the prosecutor on the cooperating defendant’s behalf in exchange for sexual favors. Moore then convinced the cooperating defendant to go for a ride in his official vehicle where she performed a sexual act with Moore.

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As part of his guilty plea, Moore admitted to engaging in similar conduct with two other female cooperating witnesses in federal drug investigations dating back to 2009. According to the statement of facts, Moore falsely informed these witnesses that he had convinced federal prosecutors not to charge them with federal criminal offenses that would carry significant prison sentences. Moore then solicited and received sexual favors from the witnesses in exchange for his purported assistance.

Moore pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with bribery before Chief U.S. District Judge Glen E. Conrad of the Western District of Virginia. In cooperation with the City of Salem Police Department and DEA, Moore was arrested on Oct. 10, 2014, without incident, after being charged by complaint, and was suspended from the police department and DEA task force the same day. His sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2015.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Charles R. Walsh and Robert J. Heberle of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.